Student Voice & Empowerment
Student Interview Guide
Strong interviews come from listening well enough to ask the next question.
Before the interview
Know who you are talking with and why they were invited. Learn enough background to avoid asking only questions a quick search could answer. Prepare open questions that invite stories, explanations, examples, and reflection.
During the interview
Listen to the answer instead of staring at the next question. Ask a follow-up when something interesting appears. Give the guest time to think, ask for clarification when needed, and treat the guest and topic with respect.
Better question stems
- What was that experience like for you?
- What do you wish people understood about…?
- Can you give us an example?
- What happened next?
- Why did that matter?
- What did you learn from that?
After the interview
Identify what surprised you, one idea you want to remember, one follow-up you wish you had asked, and how the conversation changed your thinking.
Nicholas in Practice
Through the BAGO Mic, students interviewed adults, community members, and one another. The strongest moments happened when students moved beyond reading prepared questions and began genuinely listening and responding.
Printable Tool
1-Page Student Interview Guide
Open PrintableGo Deeper on the Podcast
The BAGO Mic Student Podcast: How Student Voice Changed My Teaching
Listen to the EpisodeSources & Credit
Nicholas’s BAGO Mic classroom application. This is a student communication/interview tool, not a journalism-industry framework.